“The tremendous progress being achieved in CF care and research would not be possible without the selfless individuals who are committed to giving their time, talent and financial resources until this disease is cured,” said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., president and CEO of the CF Foundation. “With your continued hard work and dedication, we will reach our goal.”
Making a Real Impact on the Lives of Those with CF
Special guest and singer Lindsay Wadleigh Shipp, who participated in a
“When I began the clinical trial, every breath was a struggle,” Lindsay told attendees of the dinner.
“Today, I am able to breathe easier - and sing louder. My dreams of graduating college and marrying the love of my life were all made possible because of your generosity.”
Lindsay is now feeling so good that she is also considering pursuing her Broadway dreams once again. Her passionate renditions of Katy Perry's "Firework" and "Thank You for the Music" from the musical Mamma Mia! brought the entire ballroom to their feet.
Working Together to Achieve the Next Research Milestones
During the dinner, volunteers also looked to the future of CF research and care, rallying around the Foundation's second phase of the Milestones to a Cure major giving campaign, Milestones II: Accelerating the Search for a Cure.
Chaired by volunteer Joe O'Donnell, Milestones II will accelerate the vital pace of progress toward a cure by raising $75 million in major gifts.
“To advance the promising drug discovery and development work that is bringing us closer to a cure, we must reach past our close-knit CF community and tell our story of past success and hopes for the future to others,” said C. Richard Mattingly, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the CF Foundation. “If we work together as a team, as we have done in the past, we can accelerate our progress.”